Diving helmet

ABSTRACT

A diving helmet includes a cylindrical portion with a dome shaped top for the head and neck of a user. An air line is attached to a fitting adjacent the dome shaped top and to one side and rear thereof while a slight glass is held in a protrusion extending forwardly from the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion terminates in a rim designed to fit over the shoulders, front chest and rear torso of the user, and the rim is weighted with lead weights. The cylindrical portion dome and rim are preferably formed of fiberglass and in the rim the fiberglass completely surrounds the lead. On the under side of the rim on each side thereof there is attached as by gluing flexible pockets consisting of water inpenetrateable leaves stitched together so that one leaf will remain glued to the bottom of the rim while the other leaf is free to open under the pressure of air within the helmet when it is not in use but to close against the other leaf when contacted by the shoulders of a user. The leaves increase the volume of air within the helmet when not in use to provide floatation, but the volume is decreased when in use so that the helmet will remain in place without the necessity of straps.

[ 51 July1l,l972

s41 DIVING HELMET [72] Inventors: Frank F. Domyan, 4648 Camellia Ave., Studio City, Calif. 91602; Joseph C. Lantz, 10252 Bouvais Road; Richard D. Sibley, 10631 Larry Drive, both of Anaheim, Calif. 92804 [22] Filed: Jan. 25,1971

[21] Appl.No.: 109,331

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gsudet Assistant Examiner-G. F. Dunne Anomey-Lyon 8: Lyon ABSTRACT A diving helmet includes a cylindrical portion with a dome shaped top for the head and neck of a user. An air line is at tached to a fitting adjacent the dome shaped top and to one side and rear thereof while a slight glass is held in a protrusion extending forwardly from the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion terminates in a rim designed to fit over the shoulders, front chest and rear torso of the user, and the rim is weighted with lead weights. The cylindrical portion dome and rim are preferably formed of fiberglass and in the rim the fiberglass completely surrounds the lead. On the under side of the rim on each side thereof there is attached as by gluing flexible pockets consisting of water inpenetrateable leaves stitched together so that one leaf will remain glued to the bottom of the rim while the other leaf is free to open under the pressure of air within the helmet when it is not in use but to close against the other leaf when contacted by the shoulders of a user. The leaves increase the volume of air within the helmet when not in use to provide floatation, but the volume is decreased when in use so that the helmet will remain in place without the necessity of straps.

7 Clalms, 4 Drawing Flguru DIVING HELMET The present invention relates to a diving helmet both for professional use down to approximately 66 feet and in either fresh or salt water or and for use in swimming pools by adults or children for sport. It is characterized by its structural strength, its safety, its ease of handling, for its lightness of weight and the fact that it may be produced at a cost which makes diving helmets available to a large portion of the population which would not be able to afford the professional diving helmet currently known on the market.

The foregoing objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the annexed specification in which:

FIG. 1 is a prospective elevation of a device embodying the present invention in place upon the shoulders of a wearer;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 2 and 2 of FIG. 1 without anyone wearing the diving helmet;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the helmet in place upon the shoulders of a wearer;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the device shown in the other figures.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the diving helmet includes a generally cylindrical portion having a domed top 11 to one side and the rear of which is a fitting 12 receiving an air line 13 which leads to a pump or compressor (not shown) for feeding air to the helmet.

A forwardly extending member 14 has cemented to the inside thereof a sight glass 15 of plexyglass or the like transparent and nonshattering material and this glass is inserted from the inside of the helmet so that the pressure of the air within the helmet will tend to hold the glass in place even if the cement shall fail. While there has been shown a square sight glass 15, it will be obvious that the invention is not limited to a square glass, but it is within the skill of the art to substitute a round sight glass. In fact, the entire protuberance 14 can be simply a transparent bubble formed on the front of the cylindrical portion 10 which affords overhead sighting for overhead work.

The cylindrical portion 10 is attached to a rim 16 which is contoured to fit the shoulders, chest, and back of a user as clearly shown in FIG. 1. The rim I6 is hollow and contains therein a lead weight 17. Other than the lead weight 17 and the glass 15 the hose 13 and fitting 12 the diving helmet is composed entirely of a plastic such as fiberglass.

To the bottom of the rim to there is secured a pair of pockets [8 and 19. Each of these pockets consists of a pair of fabric leaves 20 and 21 stitched together as at 22 and treated to make them water tight. The number 20 is cemented or glued to the bottom of the rim l6 and the number 21 is free to open up as in FIG. 2. The purpose of the numbers 20 and 21 is that when the diving helmet is in the water and there is no one in it, air pressure within the helmet will cause the two leaves 21 to open up as shown in FIG. 2 and it increases the volume of air within the helmet. This is to render the helmet floatable. However, when it is desired to use the helmet, it is placed upon the shoulders of a user preferably by entering the helmet from below and the shoulder 23 of the user thus collapses the leaf 2] against the leaf 20 as clearly shown in FIG. 3. This decreases the volume of air within the diving helmet so that it will no longer be floating but will stay in place upon the wearer without the necesity of the use of straps. The absence of straps means that the diver cannot get trapped in the helmet.

It is noted that the fitting 12 being located in the rear and toward the top of the helmet is arranged so that the air supply coming in clears moisture from the sight glass 15 and thus promotes proper visibility.

It will also be noted that the corners of the helmet have been rounded to avoid injuries and it is preferable that the helmet be painted a distinctive color such as yellow or a yellow dye may be added to the fiberglass for ready observation. The fiberglass construction is compatible with salt water or with chemically treated swimming pool water, is durable and easy to repair, does not contaminate, and provides good acoustical qualities in the case ear phones are used within the helmet.

While there has been described what at present is considered a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and alterations can be made thereon without departing from the essence of the invention.

Having described the invention and its mode of operation, what it is intended to claim is:

We claim:

1. A diving helmet comprising a substantially cylindrical member having a domed top; a forwardly protruding member on said cylindrical member and containing a sight glass; a rim connected to said cylindrical portion and contoured to fit the chest, shoulders and rear torso of a diver, said cylindrical member, domed top and rim being fonned of fiberglass, and lead weight carried in and surrounded by said rim.

2. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 1 in which said rim has a bottom, a pair of leaves stitched together with one of said leaves cemented to said bottom and the other leaf free to open downwardly when no diver is in the helmet to increase the effective volume of the helmet and render it floatable.

3. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 2 in which said other leaf is arranged to collapse against said cemented leaf when engaged by the shoulders of a diver to render the helmet nonfloatable and securely affixed to the diver in the absence of securing straps.

4. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 1 in which an air fitting is attached to said helmet to one side and to the rear thereof to provide for supplying air so as to clear moisture from said sight glass.

5. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 3 in which an air fitting is attached to said helmet to one side and to the rear thereof to provide for sup lying air so as to clear moisture from said sight glass.

6. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 3 which is of a bright yellow color for easy recognition.

7. A diving helmet as set forth in claim I in which said sight glass is cemented into said protruding member from the inside thereof so that air pressure in the helmet tends to keep the sight glass in place. 

1. A diving helmet comprising a substantially cylindrical member having a domed top; a forwardly protruding member on said cylindrical member and containing a sight glass; a rim connected to said cylindrical portion and contoured to fit the chest, shoulders and rear torso of a diver, said cylindrical member, domed top and rim being formed of fiberglass, and lead weight carried in and surrounded by said rim.
 2. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 1 in which said rim has a bottom, a pair of leaves stitched together with one of said leaves cemented to said bottom and the other leaf free to open downwardly when no diver is in the helmet to increase the effective volume of the helmet and render it floatable.
 3. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 2 in which said other leaf is arranged to collapse against said cemented leaf when engaged by the shoulders of a diver to render the helmet non-floatable and securely affixed to the diver in the absence of securing straps.
 4. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 1 in which an air fitting is attached to said helmet to one side and to the rear thereof to provide for supplying air so as to clear moisture from said sight glass.
 5. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 3 in which an air fitting is attached to said helmet to one side and to the rear thereof to provide for supplying air so as to clear moisture from said sight glass.
 6. A diving helmet as set forth in claim 3 which is of a bright yellow color for easy recognition.
 7. A diving helmet as set Forth in claim 1 in which said sight glass is cemented into said protruding member from the inside thereof so that air pressure in the helmet tends to keep the sight glass in place. 